In particular in the field of cell microscopy, most diverse forms of sample chambers are known. Almost all sample chambers include structures for receiving a sample, for example in the form of microfluidic channels or reservoirs. Examples of such sample chambers are shown in EP 1 886 792 A2, WO 2008/149914 A2, WO 2005/079985, or DE 101 48 210. Simple and well-known forms comprise Petri dishes and multiwell plates as they are described in DIN EN ISO 24998 or ANSI/SBS 2-2004 for microplates.
Possible application fields for such sample chambers are in particular the field of molecule or cell microscopy. The samples under test are placed into a reservoir of the sample chamber together with a liquid and can then be examined with high-resolution methods (for example transmitted-light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, etc.)
Well-known sample chambers are typically made as single-component or multi-component chambers. Examples of single-component sample chambers are glass Petri dishes and multiwell plates of polystyrene (PS) which are made by injection molding. Multi-component sample chambers usually comprise at least one side wall and one bottom plate which are connected to each other by various methods. Above all, ultrasonic welding or gluing are well-known. One type of connection by adhesive or tacky layers is described, for example, in EP 1 886 792 A2.
As to manufacture, it is often advantageous to produce the sample chambers from several components or parts. A connection by ultrasonic welding, however, requires a lot of energy. The use of adhesive or tacky layers, however, often involves the use of solvents. The latter, however, are disadvantageous in that residues can lead to a contamination of the sample when the sample carrier is in use.